Barbell weight is one of those things that is perpetually shrouded in mystery
Unless it’s explicitly etched on the bar or you measure it yourself, you’ll still get random answers if you ask anyone in the gym about it
‘Hey, how much does an EZ bar weigh?’
If you are diligent about tracking your movements and using progressive overload in your workout routines, knowing the weight of the bar is essential
If not, how do you know the exact weight you are lifting?
Oh yeah, if someone tells you the weight of the barbell doesn’t matter, punch them in the face
Before we take the plunge, let’s take a moment to understand the difference between the EZ bar and the straight bar
The humble bicep curl is often overshadowed by fancy isolation moves – like reverse curls, hammer curls, or regular curls…and the fancy machines in the gym these days
But it’s still “the grandfather” of biceps and triceps exercises as they say
And there is no better variation than the bar curl
The barbell curl allows you to work all the muscle heads of the biceps group, the forearms, the wrists, the shoulders and even certain back muscles
Personally, I do these curls to train my shoulders after chest day, but you can also work your arms (for those with skinny arms), your call
You can stack more plates and you’re less likely to swing reps with them
If you’ve been training for a while, you know that there are two types of bars used for bicep curls
There’s the straight bar, and there’s the EZ curl bar with the weird curves right in the middle of the bar
Some even call it the cambered curl bar
The question is, which is best for growing biceps?
The EZ curl bar or the straight curl bar?
Straight bar
The thing is, even some of the most experienced lifters don’t know the difference between the EZ bar and the straight bar
The EZ Curl bar is specifically designed for people with wrist mobility issues
Keyboard Warriors, in particular, get wrist pain when doing curls with straight bars, not to mention cleans or power cleans
Swapping it out with an EZ curl bar lets you hit biceps without much compromise and, most importantly, without backing off in pain or having to head to your theragun after your workout – although you should use one of those gadgets for better recovery
The bent part of the bar that you grip during curls allows you to have an overhand grip, which is when you have your thumbs over your little fingers
The overhand grip is much gentler on your wrists
Rather than stressing the head of the biceps, this works the brachialis muscle more
Also, this type of bar is not quite suitable for vigorous workouts like, for example, the Smith machine deadlift, you will definitely need a straight bar for this
Does that make it ineffective for growing biceps?
The difference, if any, is so small, unless you’re a pro bodybuilder hitting your home gym to work each muscle head individually and being judged by pro judges on stage at MrOlympia, then you really have nothing to worry about
Most fitness enthusiasts wouldn’t even notice the difference except for the reduction in pain
Hints why I only use the EZ bar to curl now, especially when loading heavy weights to shock my muscles
I’m not even joking with throwing weight on the straight bar anymore
How much does an EZ bar weigh?
Getting to the point, how much does the EZ Bar weigh?
It depends on the manufacturer and the length of the bar
This doesn’t just apply to the Ez bar, I’ve already looked at bench press bar weight, deadlift bar weight, and deadlift bar weight
However, there are two types of EZ bars that are commonly available at most gyms
Olympic EZ bars are heavier and have thicker dimensions than standard EZ bars
Here is a ballpark figure for the weight and height of both EZ Bar variations
Olympic EZ Curl Bar: Weighs 18-25 lbs
It can only be used with Olympic plates and the weight ranges from 18-25 lbs
Standard EZ Curl Bar: Weighs 10-18 lbs
Has a 47″ length and 1″ non-rotating sleeves
Can only be used with standard plates and weight ranges from 10-18 lbs
The standard EZ curl bar is a great option for people looking for short dumbbells
Why does my gym’s EZ Curl bar weigh over 25 pounds?
The EZ Curl Bar is not used in the Olympics or any sporting event, making standardization unnecessary
So, most manufacturers have their own variations of the EZ curl bar that vary in length and weight
Rogue, for example, has an EZ curl bar that is 54 inches long and weighs 30 pounds
It also differs from other bars in design as it has knurling everywhere except for a small part in the middle
Troy has a 60-inch one with extremely long handles that allow users to stack more plates
There is even a “super curl ez bar”
Super Curl EZ Bar
Another variation offered by some manufacturers is the EZ “super curl” bar which has extremely exaggerated angles for grip
Not only would this increase the degree of grip pronation during bicep curls, but it would be just as effective if you’re looking to target the triceps
How much does the Super Curl EZ bar weigh?
The Super Curl EZ bar can vary in length from 49″ to 55″ and comes with rotating and non-rotating sleeves
The Super Curl EZ bar weighs between 20 and 25 pounds
What workouts are EZ Bars used for?
The zigzag angled design of the EZ Bar makes it a very effective tool for performing a variety of exercises
This is one of the most effective exercises for the long and lateral triceps and when performed with an EZ Curl bar it is much easier on the wrist, allowing you to lock your elbows out to the sides and prevent them to flare outward
There are also several skull crusher alternatives that work pretty much the same muscles, but you might need complicated equipment for those, but most of them work great for someone who doesn’t have big hands to handle the bar
If you’ve never tried vertical rows with an EZ curl bar, try it now
The angled handle allows you to bring the bar higher towards your chin, which really hits your trapezius muscles
Again, this avoids the wrist issues that users face when performing them with the straight bar or even a heavier trap bar with heavier weights
A good alternative to straights is pull ups, you can do pull ups or straights using the EZ bar, but I would start with straights and once I gain muscle I would start doing high pull-ups
Loops
There are so many curl variations you can do with the EZ curl bar
This is a truly versatile barbell for bicep development
Performing overhead tricep extensions with dumbbells flares your elbows out and you’re more likely to cheat to shift the weight
Not with the EZ-Curl bar
Not with the EZ-Curl bar
It allows you to maintain good form throughout and hits the triceps even with lighter weight
Tactical Dumbbell Review, Results, PDF, Download
I’m Ben, lead author and editor of Fitlifefanaticscom
I have been obsessed with bodybuilding and fitness for 16 years now
My passion for bodybuilding and fitness and my love for helping others is what got me started Fitlifefanatics